According to the latest data from the American College of Sports Medicine, Columbus is still really out of shape. The organization released its 10th Annual American Fitness Index report yesterday, in which the Columbus area scored 41st place out of the largest 50 metropolitan areas in the country.
Since the report was first released in 2008, the Columbus ranking has fluctuated between 28th place and 41st place. In the past year, the overall Columbus score dropped from 41.6 to 37.4 (out of a possible 100) with 30.5 percent of the population measuring as obese.
The two areas where the healthiness of the Columbus community scored better than target goals were with regards to having more farmers’ markets per capita and more park land per capita.
Areas flagged for improvement include both personal goals like consuming more fruits and vegetables and quitting smoking, as well as community goals like the building of more playgrounds, rec centers and swimming pools.
The report also revealed some national trends that were both positive and negative. In the past decade, smoking rates have declined and the percentage of U.S. residents using public transportation to work has doubled, but the overall percentage of Americans categorized as obese has increased.
“Our ultimate goal is to offer individuals, families and communities trusted resources that can help them assess, plan and implement policies that promote positive health outcomes,” stated Walter Thompson, Ph.D., FASCM, who chairs the AFI Advisory Board and is president-elect of ACSM. “Ten years of evidence-based data offers these cities and their citizens valuable insights into how to substantively improve elements leading to healthier lives and reduced health care costs.”
For more information, visit www.americanfitnessindex.org/report.